Every row of flats and each business must comply with a Fire Risk Assessment guidelines. It is the law and steep fines and penalties can incur for those who choose to violate this order. However, not everyone fully understands how Fire Risk Assessors can assist with this cornerstone for every fire safety plan in the UK.

Sadly, these types of assessments are often ignored. When this occurs, buildings are at risk for unnecessary fire exposure. With this risk, there is a potential for property damage and even the loss of life.

The following guide provides more information about the importance of Fire Risk Assessments and the different ways Fire Assessors help to manage these assessments to keep people and property safe.

What Are Fire Risk Assessments?

In the simplest of terms, a fire risk assessment is a building review that assesses it for fire risk. If any risks are found, the Fire Risk Assessor will make recommendations that will help make the building safer.

These types of assessments do not have to be placed in writing if the building has fewer than 5 people occupying the building. In other words, a Fire Risk Assessment does not always have to be a written document.

However, most Fire Risk Assessors do recommend that responsible persons do request a written Fire Risk Assessment document. By having it in writing, it will be easier to ensure that occupants are aware of the findings and the appropriate measures are taken to address the risks.

Understanding The Fire Risk Assessment Guidelines

There are several specific legal guidelines that must be adhered to during a Fire Risk Assessment.

The first guideline is that Fire Risk Assessments have to be reviewed on a regular basis. Many Fire Risk Assessors recommend that the guidelines are reviewed:

• When the number of occupants has significantly increased
• When business operations have been changed or altered
• When the layout of the building has been changed
• Every 12 months after the initial assessment

The layout of the building, the number of occupants and the building use can drastically change a fire safety plan. This is why a review of the Fire Risk Assessment must take place if any of these changes happen.

Another guideline is that the Fire Risk Assessment has to be in writing if there 5 or more people will be regularly occupying the building.

The final guideline is that every Fire Risk Assessment must have any major findings and recommendations on record whether it is in written form or not.

Who Is A ‘Responsible Person’?

This is the person who will be responsible for ensuring that fire safety is practiced in the building. The Responsible Person will make sure that occupants are complying with the fire safety plan and each occupant is doing their job in keeping the building safe. The Responsible Person will also make sure that if a fire does occur, injury and death do not occur.

So, this means that it is the duty of the Responsible Person to make sure there is a valid assessment in the building. For small businesses, the Responsible Person is generally the owner. If you live in a tower block or flat, the Responsible Person is usually the property manager or the landlord. In some cases, the Responsible Person may be someone on the Residents’ Association.

How Is A Fire Risk Assessment Carried Out?

In the legal guidelines it is stated that a competent person must carry out Fire Risk Assessments. However, most people choose to contract with a certified and experienced Fire Risk Assessor for this duty.

The person must be able to:

• Implement a fire action plan if required
• Update fire risk assessment regularly
• Clearly record and detail all findings and recommendations

Fire Risk Assessors undergo specific and detailed training in order to comply with Fire Risk Assessment legal guidelines. They use their knowledge and training to apply these assessments to a range of building structures.

There are some jobs that have a reputation for being dangerous, and then there are those that really don’t. The average daily potential issues that come with a work area are going to vary immensely based on what the actual job is, the location, and other similar issues. While it’s certainly not going to have the same potential health and safety risks as say a farming or mining job, it’s still important to understand the potential issues that can come from a digital marketing company office and how to properly handle them.

Understanding the Digital Marketing Setting

Most buildings will have some potential issues. This could be from exposed pipes in storage closets or bathrooms to door lock issues, to the occasional outlet that doesn’t work the way it should. All of these are common building issues but that doesn’t mean they should be ignored. Understanding the area specific potential hazards allows for the proper signage and warnings to be put into place to help avoid any serious issues.

Safety Around Digital Marketing Electronics

Most of the potential dangers from an office environment are going to be from electronics. Malfunctioning electronics that actually result in loose wires or sparks are incredibly rare in today’s day and age and not likely to be a major issue, however it is important to keep in mind that sometimes the odd issue can happen.

Beyond that managing the potential health & safety risks in your average company office for a digital marketing company comes down to common sense. Don’t mix water and electricity, cap off any outlets that aren’t working properly, have regular routine check-ups on the office and office building’s electrical, plumbing, and HVAC.

When done properly basic maintenance should be a breeze to maintain and help prevent most potential issues.

Understanding Emergency Protocols

Employees need to know what the emergency protocols are. This means not just knowing the nearest fire escape, but all of them. They should know the drills for if a violent former worker comes in, for fire, or for even for unlikely potential dangers like an explosion in the building or close by to it.

Keep in mind that employees need to be kept up on this with every small change. A worker who is moved from one side of the office to another may not know that the nearest exit for them has changed and should be walked through the basics again to make sure they are up to speed on the changes.

Good Indoor Environmental Practices

An air purifier is never a bad thing, and keeping up on changing all filters is crucial to make sure office air is as clean and healthy as possible. Further, staying on top of employees who don’t feel well and making them spend the proper amount of time at home and recovering is crucial to avoid getting the entire office sick. These are simple practices that are going to make workers happier while also making them healthier and thus helping create a better (and more profitable) work environment.

Keeping all of these in mind will help keep your office safe and up to code!

There are health and safety risks in every industry, and CCTV installation is no exception to that. Thankfully, there are many things you can do that can help to mitigate these risks. If you’re looking for ways to reduce risks for your employees, these are some of the things you’ll want to try out.

Evaluate Your Current Practices

If you want to make positive changes, you’re going to want to make sure you have a clear picture of the practices that you’re currently following. You may want to spend some time shadowing your employees when they’re on the job. You should also go over your rulebook to see what it recommends.

The more you know about your current practices, the easier it will be for you to gauge the effectiveness of those practices. You’ll be able to see where you’re succeeding and where you’re failing. You can make changes from there. states CCTV Chester A-Z Security  states, “We only offer systems and solutions that have been certified and tested and personally check each and every new CCTV installation we do to ensure that you are getting the optimum levels of protection.”

Learn More About Recent Workplace Incidents

If there have been any safety incidents in your workplace over the last year, you’ll want to look into these incidents to see what you can find out. You should find out what caused these incidents, and you should see what changes you can make that will help you to correct these issues.

It’s much easier to pinpoint your failings if you look at the issues that have already occurred. You should pay attention to some of the most recent incidents, and you should make sure that similar problems don’t happen going forward.

Be Sure That The Rules Are Clearly Posted

You need to be sure that your employees are fully aware of the rules that they’re supposed to be following. There is no use in having rules and guidelines if your workers don’t know what those rules are.

Once you’ve gone over your safety rules and improved them, you should make sure that those rules are clearly posted in a number of places. You may also want to give your employees a copy of a handbook that mentions all of the rules that they need to follow.

Make Sure The Equipment That You’re Working With Is In Good Condition

Even if your employees are following all of the rules that you’ve laid out, accidents could still occur if there are issues with the equipment that they are using. That’s why you should inspect the equipment that they are using to make sure it’s in excellent condition. You’ll also want to be sure that the equipment is being well maintained.

You shouldn’t put off replacing equipment any longer than you have to. If you’re using equipment that is in rough shape, then getting new equipment should be one of your main priorities.

Start looking at some of the best ways to manage health and safety risks at your CCTV installation company. You should take a look at your current practices and see what can be done to improve them. Even if you only make a few minor changes, you can expect to see a difference over time.